DYNAMIC SIMULATION OF AN INDUSTRIAL DISTILLATION COLUMN

Abstract

This work aims the study of a debutanizer column of a typical petrochemical industry. First a steady state model was built using ASPEN PLUS and then the model was transformed to the dynamic version using ASPEN DYNAMICS. The debutanizer column split a mixture of hydrocarbons into a C4 rich fraction and a C5+ fraction. In the C4 fraction 1-3 butadiene is the desired compound which will be separated in another processing unit. 1-3 butadiene is an important feedstock for the polymer industry. The column dimensions and characteristics and operational conditions where supplied by the company. The first part of the study was the model building and results validation with real data of the industry. Then the model was transformed into the dynamic version for control study purposes. Both open and closed loop studies were performed. The generated curves will be used by the company for control scheme selection purposes.

Keywords

• 1,3-butadiene
• steady state distillation
• dynamic distillation
• process control
• dynamic simulation